In the production, processing, transportation, and distribution of natural gas, it is very important to determine if liquid is present in any form. Hydrocarbon liquids entrained in the gas phase have a major impact on the value of natural gas. Gas turbines, which are utilized for driving gas compressors which move the gas in a pipeline, cannot tolerate liquid, even in mist form. Liquid separators in the natural gas pipeline, which remove entrained liquid, often spill over and cause problems downstream. Ensuring that the industry standards apply for the sampling of natural gas is another reason that is it important to know if liquid is present is present or not. API 14.1 and GPA 2166 industry standards state that said standards do not apply if there is liquid present in the natural gas pipeline.
Hydrocarbon mist has the same physical and chemical properties as a continuous hydrocarbon liquid phase. Therefore, hydrocarbon mist can seriously impact the value of natural gas and cause problems in the pipeline by enhancing corrosion and forming hydrates. Spillover of absorbing liquid from absorbers designed to remove H2S and/or water vapor can also cause many problems in the pipeline. The ability to detect any form of liquid is very important to assess the value of the natural gas and to the safety of pipeline operation.
The following is a list of U.S. patent numbers which rely on differences in the refractive indices of fluids for detecting liquids in continuous form: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,552; 6,801,678; and 6,363,784. Other U.S. patents depend on a fluid fluorescing in order to detect it, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,942,306 and 4,870,292. The present invention does not rely on refractive indices or fluorescing in order to detect any liquid in various forms such as droplets, mist, or in continuous form.